


Nightmare or Reality

by 4always7caskett



Category: Dancing with the Stars (US) RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-02
Updated: 2015-03-01
Packaged: 2018-03-15 22:04:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3463700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/4always7caskett/pseuds/4always7caskett
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on the prompt: One member of your ship wakes up in the middle of the night with a feeling the other is not okay. </p><p>Maks wakes in the middle of the night scared and wanting Meryl. This leads him to wonder, what is worse, the nightmare he is having or the reality in which he is living?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Only Safe With You

He woke suddenly a sheen layer of sweat dampening his skin. His hand flew to the other side of the bed in search of her small frame, his eyes flying open when he was met with cold sheets. He searched the room in panic but she was no where to be found. Then he caught sight of the city out the window and it all started coming back to him. He was brought back to the new reality of separation instead of 24/7 bliss. But something from his dream was leaving him unsettled. He feared his precious Meryl was not okay. Maks turned over to look at the clock. It glowed a 4:13 into the room. He contemplated calling her just to check and make sure she was alright but then he remembered the way they left things and it seemed out of place. They were both still a little hurt after they decided it would be best not to be in a relationship right now. And of course they still talked but it wasn't the same as the phone calls that filled her Hawaii trip and his time in India. There was no longer the gushing of feelings for each other or the cute pictures they sent to each other just because they were missing the other. So he pushed his phone into his sweat pant pockets and slid out of bed. He walked down to the kitchen in hopes that it would calm him. 

Reaching the kitchen he pulled a glass from the cabinet and filled it with water then sat at the counter. His eyes slid closed and he was brought back to dreamworld which caused his eyes to fly back open with fear and frantically search for her but he was met with the lonely kitchen. It happened again, and again. He was using all his energy to keep from slipping back into sleep in fear of what would lie in his dreams. 

He kept looking at his phone, willing it to ring with news that his Meryl was safe and tucked into bed as he should be too but it never happened, and he wasn't surprised. When the clock stuck 4:47 he could no longer resist to call her. He had to know if she was okay. He put the glass down on the counter in trade for his phone. It lit up with a picture of the two of them: he was draped over her, only the back of his head and his naked back was showing of him. Her head was peeking out from behind his shoulder, a blissful smile on her face as she held the phone up the snap the picture. He shouldn't have left it at that picture. He should've changed it the second they declared a break from their relationship but his heart couldn't handle it. Seeing the picture sped his fingers as they danced across the screen until he found he name and touched the call button. He brought the phone to his ear and nervously listened. It rang once...twice...a third time and then she picked up and Maks let out the breath he didn't realize he had been holding. All he heard from the other end was a yawn and a few breaths before her quiet voice broke the silence. 

"Maks?"

"Oh thank god," he let out in a breathy mumble.

"Maks, what's going on?"

"I don't even know. I woke up with this crazy feeling that you weren't safe, that something happened to you and I tried to shake it but I just couldn't. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have called. I shouldn't have woken you up." 

Their even breathing filled the line for some time. It could've been minutes or hours. He wasn't sure. Finally she let out the question that was nagging at her.

"What is all this about?" Her sweet voice melted his guard every time. He couldn't hold it in anymore. She heard the soft sob over the phone and it broke her heart to know he was hurting. She had only heard him cry once before and that was after their freestyle. The sobs wracked through his body then too but then she was there to hold him as he let it all out. She was there to reassure him he would be okay, they would be okay. And it broke her heart to know she was miles away and her teddy bear was hurting. She couldn't wrap her arms around him and kiss the pain away.

"I can't...I can't do this, Mer," Maks let out between sobs. She didn't say anything but let him get it out. His breathing calmed and he continued. "Mer, I can't talk to you everyday and pretend we can just be close friends. I can't look at pictures of you and know I can't call you mine. I can't sit through interviews and worry that you're watching and try not to show how much I miss you by my side. I can't walk down the street without reaching for your hand and realizing you're gone. I can't eat a meal without missing the way you take a break in between every bite. I can't go home to an empty bed anymore. And worst of all I can't keep realizing I won't get to tell you how much I love you while you're wrapped in my arms at the end of everyday. I can't do this." 

"I can't do this either, Maks."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Then let's not do it. Let's go back to how things were before."

"You know that's unreasonable. We can't spend any more time together now than we could before and from how things went last time we tried that just hurts more."

Maks let out a sigh. "I wish I didn't have these signings and I could just book a flight and see you." 

"I know, babe, me too."


	2. Kiss Me in the Sunlight

The phone call ended there. Maks had moved to the couch at sometime during the call but nothing more was said as far as Maks knew.

Meryl had listeners until she heard Maks' breathing even out and small snore come from his end. She listened and held onto the sound like a lifeline. She could have listened to his steady inhale and exhale and occasional snores for the rest of her life. It soothed her and brought her back to the many nights spent together. No matter how tired she was Maks had always fallen asleep before her but not before he made sure she was tucked in front of him and both his arms were securely around her waist drawing patterns and the soft skin of her hips. Tears began to fall as she reminisced about the past, the days when they could wake up together, get ready together, spend the day dancing together, enjoy small talk over lunch, go to her skating show together, catch the end of a random prime time TV show over room service together, and fall asleep to the local news. Her silent tears turned into small sobs. Meryl whispered, "I love you too," and she ended the call, afraid her sobs would wake him if she were to stay on the line any longer. 

Meryl woke up later that morning to a dull ache in her head, burning dry eyes, and the sun glowing through her not fully closed blinds. Knowing sleep wouldn't come back for her even if she tried she groaned and rolled out of bed getting tangled in a chord in the process. She heard the crash of her phone, screen lit up on the lock screen which was graced with his face and hers. Her eyes burned with fresh tears which she fought to hold back. She knew it was wrong to keep her background as a picture of them after things ended romantically but she couldn't bring herself to remove the photo. Something in the way his arms were wrapped around her stomach and her head turned up to gaze into his eyes made her leave it. 

Meryl picked up the phone from the floor, vision blurred through her tears as she gazed at the picture of them and thought back to his frantic call earlier that morning. She wouldn't cry, she couldn't cry again. Not when she knew she could just fly to him. It was Monday morning and Meryl knew her weekend was empty and knew exactly what she would do to fill it. She slid her phone across the screen and made the call.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They didn't talk the rest of the week. There were no more middle of the night phone calls, no texts, no more after dinner Skype calls. It was complete radio silence. She flew in on Friday. He didn't know she was there. Saturday   
morning she woke early, embarrassingly early. She was knocking at his door by 7.   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Damnit, who the hell is at the door? Is the sun even up yet? Do I see the sun? Damnit I do." Maks grumbled as he hurried to the door. He flung it open not at all prepared to see her petite figure standing there. The sun rising behind her made it look like her hair and yellow summer dress were glowing. He stood in the doorway hair ruffled from sleep, glorious abs on show, sweatpants hanging a little low on his left hip, and jaw on the floor. She looked up shyly through her lashes and risked speaking a word,   
"Hi."   
And that was all it took for his arms to throw themselves around her and his head to sink into the crook of her neck and breathe in the flowery scent that was uniquely Meryl Davis.

He pulled away and took both her hands in his, gazing into her eyes.

"How long do we have?" He asked in a pleading voice.

"Forever I hope but for right now I fly out early Monday morning." 

"It's Saturday?"

"It's Saturday." 

"Then let's go! There's so much to do," Maks excitedly remarked as he jumped off the front stoop towards the driveway. His body's trail of motion was yanked to a gaily by on of Meryl's hands in his. 

"Maks," she said through giggles, " how about you put some clothes on?" 

"I've got a shirt in the car. Let's go."

The sun reflected off the windows of each suburban house they cruised past. Her hand had made it's way to his thigh and his hand soon took home on top of hers. She flexed her fingers to tangle between his. Soon the sun was even higher in the sky and the houses were farther apart. The sparkle of the ocean glittered in between the houses. The road got progressively smaller and soon they were in a small coastal town. People were already up and out here too. An older couple crossed the street hand in hand in front of their car at a red light. Maks gazed longingly over to Meryl as she watched them walk across the street. The light turned green and he moved the car across the intersection and into a parking lot next to the beach. As he turned the car off her rushed over to Meryl's side to get her door.

"Always a gentleman," Meryl remarked with a genuine smile as she took his offered hand and rose from the car. 

"There's an open air market in the middle of the town today. It happens every Saturday. Normally I come with mama but she will understand." He told her as the walked hand in hand down the street. 

"And no one will see us?" She looked up at him like the entire fate of the world depended on his answer. Her eyes glistened with what he knew to be tears she's earlier in the day. He couldn't resist anymore. He stopped them in their tracks and pulled her into his side. He placed his forehead on her hair and she tucked her head into his neck as her eyes fluttered closed.

"No one," he used his nose to nuzzle her forehead up and kissed her there.

"Will," he ghosted across her temple before placing a kiss there too.

"See," he breathed out into her ear before trailing kisses down her cheek bone, stopping before he hit the corner of her lips. He brought his nose to circle hers and rested his forehead against hers. She felt his eyelashes close to and for that moment it was only their two souls in the entire universe.


	3. The Perfect Pair

The tide was still high as it crashed against the glowing sand. They sat on the outside patio of a beach side cafe. The sun lit the water and sand as the ripped and curled together. Their bodies began to heat with the sun that had kissed their skin as that morning. He took the hand she hand resting on the rail of the fence of the cafe. His thumb danced across her hand, mindlessly tracing patterns just as the sea mindlessly would fold over itself onto the shore. She couldn't take her eyes off the water and he couldn't take his eyes off her. She always talked about her favorite novels, the stories of forbidden love breaking the odds. In that moment he believed in it too. All the things he had put off before as childish fairy tales seemed real and palpable now. 

“Thank you for coming this weekend. You don’t know how much it means to me.” Meryl looked towards Maks upon hearing his words. He had the most adoring smile as he gazed into her eyes. It melted her heart every time she saw it. She gave his hand a squeeze and smiled at him. Meryl turned back to the sea wistfully wishing they could walk in and escape everything that trapped them here. 

This morning had been everything yet nothing. They spent time in the sun on the coast. She let him hold her hand while they weaved through the rows of fresh fruit, vegetables, and flowers at the open market. They bought a few things and carried them to the beach to have a picnic. The wind blew through Meryl’s hair as she ran through the sand while Maks chased behind her. Inevitably they ended up in the water wet up to their knees. 

After, Maks took her hand again and led her through the hidden gems of the town. A road dead-ended into an ivy covered arch. He led her through the arch and into a beautiful garden. Paths winded through the space full of flowers, fountains, and statues. It was almost as if they were living out of a romance film as they walked hand and hand, hidden by the setting around them. And now here they were here, back by the beach for lunch. 

"Meryl?"

"Yeah, babe?” 

"Why did you come back?” She looked up at Maks startled. He looked so vulnerable, like a lost puppy. She smiled gently across the table at him trying to comfort him.

“I missed having my teddy bear to cuddle with while I slept. Plus, Charlie said that if I didn’t stop moping around Michigan he was going to find a new skating partner and we wouldn’t want that would we?”

“Meryl Davis the ice queen does not mope, especially over the playboy Russian type.”

“Maksim Chmerkovskiy the Russian playboy does not mope either but from what Val said that didn’t seem to be the case as of recent.”

“I guess we make just the perfect pair then.”

“I know we do.”

“You know how much I cherish this, yeah? Our time together, I don’t care what we do as long as I can be with you.”

“I just wish I wasn’t always jetting off across the world. I love Japan and I love ice dancing there even more but right now I honestly want to spend every day with you.”

“Someday when we are old and gray and wheelchair bound we can spend every day taking the same roll down the same hallway to the same lake in Michigan but right now we have to live our lives still.”

Once they finished their lunch they found their way back to his car. He opened her door for her and ushered her in before walking across to his side, getting in, and starting the car. As they drove back Maks noticed Meryl’s eyes slid shut a few times. He wondered just how early she was up this morning before showing up at his door. 

They were in another city, for another SOI show, staying at yet another hotel, and rehearsing at yet another studio and Meryl was completely exhausted.They had called a car to come pick them up from their rehearsal studio and bring them back to the hotel. Meryl had gotten in on one side of the car and Maks on the other leaving the middle of the bench seat open. 5 minutes into the 30 minute ride back to the studio Maks noticed Meryl stifling yawn after yawn and trying her best not to fall asleep. Maks reached out and took hold of her hand, drawing patterns on the back of her hand in an attempt to comfort her enough to fall asleep. 

“You can take a quick nap; I will wake you up when we get back to the hotel.”  
Maks didn’t expect what she did next. She unbuckled her seatbelt and slid to the middle seat wrapping her arms around Maks middle and cuddling her head into his shoulder. He counted the seconds until her breathing evened out and she was asleep. 25 seconds. When they pulled up to the hotel he couldn’t bare to wake her up so instead he slung her gym bag over his shoulder and pulled her up into his arms. She stirred a little but Maks kept walking, making his way into a side door of the hotel. He knew she would be mortified if he had taken her in his arms through the lobby. As they got into the elevator she stirred a bit more and whispered to him.

“This better not be part of your plan to help me find my dirty place.” He chuckled as she snuggled further into his neck. They reached their floor and he took out his room key. He set their bags down by the door and laid Meryl gently on the bed. He turned to go into the shower but she had grabbed his hand. He turned to see her looking up at him with her big doe eyes, “nap with me, shower later.” So he did and they showered later joking about her dirty places. 

They pulled into his driveway and he once again got her door for her. He wrapped his arm around her waist as they made their way into the house. He led them to the kitchen opening the freezer and reaching in.

“You’re lucky Val was here last week because that means I have this,” Maks said pulling out the chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, “which means we can eat our desert while we finally get to cuddle. It’s been too long.” Maks pressed kiss on Meryl’s forehead.

“You know, when I met you I never pinned you for a cuddler,” Meryl reached into a drawer pulling out two spoons and they walked over to the living room. He pulled her back against him and they settled into the corner of the sofa. 

“Movie, TV, or music?”

“I have an even better idea. Can I see the remote please? Oh and close your eyes.” She took the remote from Maks’ hand and turned to make sure his eyes were closed, they were. Meryl flipped the TV onto the YouTube feature and typed in “Meryl and Maks the dances.” She had discovered this video a few days ago and knew Maks hadn’t yet or else he would’ve told her. She clicked on the video and paused it at the beginning. She turned around to bring her lips to meet his and they met in a slow passionate kiss. 

“I think I like this better than anything the TV has to offer.”

“Open your eyes and see what’s on TV then.” She watched his face as he look at the screen and saw Meryl and Charlie on the screen. He recognized the backdrop and took in Meryl’s attire and realized this was the beginning of their first dance and his face broke into a giant smile. “Someone made a video of all of our dances and put it on YouTube. I thought we could watch it together, ya know, to reminisce.”

“I like that idea.” Maks pulled Meryl onto his lap and took the ice cream off the side table and handed her a spoon. They sat and watched, occasionally feeding each other bites of ice cream and stealing kisses when their infamous almost kisses played on screen. As the screen went to black with the end of the video Meryl was once again almost asleep. 

“Mer, babe, why don’t you go on upstairs and lay down and take a nap.” 

“But I don’t want to nap. We only have today and tomorrow until I am gone again.”

“But right now you are tired. We can stay up until 3 talking and doing silly things together if you aren’t tired then. Go upstairs, I will be up in a minute. I need to put the ice cream away.” They stood from the couch, Meryl slowly making her way up the stairs. She pulled her dress off as she crossed into his room. He came in behind her wrapping her in his arms and walking them to the bed. Meryl turned to pull Maks’ shirt off over his head and onto her own body and climbed into his bed, burying herself under his sheets and her nose in her pillow. He watched as her back rose as she inhaled his scent from his pillow.

“Come cuddle me, my teddy bear,” Meryl’s voice came out stifled through the pillow but Maks of course obliged anyway.

“Will I ever get rid of that title?,” he said as he kicked off his shoes and jeans and climbed into bed next to her. 

“Not as long as I am around and as far as I am concerned that will be forever so to answer your question, no,” Meryl’s said slowly, yawning halfway through the sentence. She then turned onto her side and Maks’ arms came around her middle, pulling her body completely flush to his.

“We can only sleep for a little bit. Val texted that Ma wants us to come over for dinner.”

“Okay,” Meryl yawned out intertwining her fingers with Maks’ on her stomach. 

“But sleep now,” Maks mumbled against her hair.


	4. Don't Break His Heart Again

Lips, he felt soft warm lips trailing across his jaw and down his neck. They found his collar bone and bit gently before soothing over the skin with her tongue. He remained still until she moved to give the same treatment to the other side. Then his hands began to move over her body, dragging slowly up her stomach and brushing under her breasts. The late afternoon sun flooded the bedroom as they moved together making love for the first time in weeks. 

Dinner started in a half hour and they needed a shower. Meryl stood from the bed and made her way into the bathroom, throwing a "come hither" look over her shoulder to Maks. 

15 minutes later they were in the car on the way to his parents house. Their hands were interlocked an resting on her upper thigh and they drove. 

"Maks, I feel dirty going to have dinner with your family, who doesn't know I am even in town, after our afternoon activities."

"How in the world would they know what we did today?"

"Well they would only have to look here," she pulled down the edge of her sweater and brought her hand to point to a purple and red hickey on her collar bone, "and the matching one you're sporting there." Meryl reached over and touched her fingers to the hickey half sticking out of his shirt. 

"Not to mention the bite mark there," Maks laughed as he pointed to a spot on the side of her neck. Her hand flew up to it. 

"Maks! This isn't funny." 

"Don't worry. They know we are both adults and if you leave your hair down it will cover it." 

Meryl huffed as they got out of the car in the driveway, seeing everyone was there not just Mama and Papa but Grandma Sofia and the Volynets' too.

"Maks, you didn't tell me everyone would be here," she hissed at him as they walked hand in hand to the patio in the back. She was shooting him a pointed look and he winced. 

"Baby, I swear I didn't know everyone would be here. Come on, let's go."

Nicole was the first to see Meryl as Maks and her rounded the corner off the house into the back. Nicole immediately ran up to Meryl   
engulfing her in a hug.

"Hey! I'm so glad you're here. Maks didn't tell us you were in town. You have to share her with us too." Nicole smacked Maks playfully before hugging him too. Then she turned to the patio and pool deck area where family members were scattered and shouted.   
"Hey everyone, Maks and Meryl are here!"

Then practically the whole fam was around them, hugging and kissing them. Thy were excited to see Meryl with Maks once again and the smile it brought to his face. After all Maks had given them the one thing his family wanted for him was to be happy and that's exactly what Meryl did. 

"How long are you in town?" Val asked Meryl as he separated from hugging her and kissing both her cheeks.

"Not long enough. I fly out early Monday morning."

"And yet here you are at family dinner when you could have this one to yourself? Wow Maks, you picked a good one."

"Don't tell Maks but I'm really just here to see you all," Meryl winked at Val. Maks lips jutted out in a pout and everyone laughed. Everyone began going their separate ways again, the women going back into the kitchen to finish meal preparations and the men dispersing around the patio area. 

Meryl turned to Maks, seeing the pout still on his face she couldn't resist rising on her tiptoes to place a gentle kiss to Maks' lips. "You know I'm joking," she whispered in his ear before coming down off her tiptoes and wrapping her arms around his middle.

"I know, but I do love how much you love them. Now, I think the ladies would like you in the kitchen." Maks kissed her head and gently moved her in the direction of the house. 

Nicole intercepted Meryl before she could make it all the way to kitchen and leading her to the empty living room.

"Hey girl, I was going to make sure you had gotten time alone with Maks since you got in but that bite mark answers that question," Nicole laughed as they say down on a couch. 

"You'd think after having to be so careful during the season he would know where not to leave marks." Meryl sighed feigning frustrations but began to giggle as soon as Nicole burst into fits of laughter. 

"But really, how have things been going with Maks? Is he treating you right?"

"Come on, Nicole. You know he is always a perfect gentleman. He's pretty special."

"Thank God he found you," Nicole remarked as she gazed out the window to the patio seeing Maks chasing the dogs around with a giant goofy smile on his face. He tumbled over his feet as he caught Meryl's eye in the window and the boys in the yard began to laugh at Maks.

"No, thank God I found him."

"Darlings, dinner is ready. Come join us." Mama C said as she knocked on the door frame peeking her head into the room. The girls rose from the couch and met Mama C in the doorway. She took one of the girls under each arm and together they walked into the dining room. 

Maks was waiting by the table for Meryl. Maks had her chair pulled out for her, standing behind it with a soft smile on his face. She gave Mama C a quick side hug and left her side to join Maks by the table.

"A seat for you, my princess," he greeted her, pressing a kiss to her cheek. 

"Thank you, my prince," she batted her eyelashes in his direction as she sat in the chair. He pushed it in for her, ever the gentleman, before sitting in his chair next to her. The family joined hands in prayer before the meal then dug in. Ever since her first meal with Maks' family Meryl had been glad to see they eat just as much as she does. Maks teased her endlessly after that first dinner saying he's never seen anyone else able to eat as much as the members of his family.

The sun had set hours ago but the family was still huddled around the table sharing stories, drinks, and many laughs. Meryl was curled into Maks' shoulder, he had his head tilted to rest against hers. She had quieted down, lost in her own thoughts, content for the first time in a while. Maks noticed her yawning pressed a kiss to her temple, nuzzling her head up so he could whisper in her ear.

"You ready to go, baby?" She nodded against him. They said their goodbyes, promising not to be strangers in the next day before Meryl left. 

Mama C pulled her aside while Maks said goodbye to the boys.  
"He loves you, so much. Don't break his heart again."

Meryl nodded into the older woman's shoulder, holding back the tears that burned against her eyelids as she pulled the woman even closer. She knew if she broke Maks' heart she wasn't just breaking his or her own, but his entire families and the thought of that was too heavy to burden. She felt Maks hand come to rest on her lower back and pulled out of his mother's embrace, giving her a watery smile and nodding again. 

That night they went home and slept, cuddle together, holding each other, breathing the same even pattern, dreaming happy thoughts of this reality.


	5. Our Happy Ending?

The sun lit the room slowly Sunday morning waking Meryl first. She turned in Maks arms to face him, taking in his sleeping form, relaxed as ever. She brought her hand up from under the sheets and gently began to run her fingers through his short, tousled hair, watching his features making sure he wouldn't wake. It was moments like these that made all the hell of separation worth it but these moments are the ones that she craved the most when they were apart too.

Lost in thought and the feel of Maks hair in her fingers, Meryl didn't notice his eyes flutter open until he moved his head to kiss her palm as it made it's way to sweep through his hair again.

"Good morning, baby."

"Good morning, my teddy bear." Maks smiled and pulled her on top of him, one hand coming up to cradle her head as he brought their lips together sweet and slow. And that was exactly how they spent their morning, kissing, caressing, and cuddling, falling in and out of sleep.

Meryl woke to an empty bed a few hours later but heard the shower running. She climbed out of the bed and slowly trudged into the bathroom not even bothering to open her eyes all the way as she opened the door to the shower and joined Maks under the warm spray. She found the soap and his muscular back and helped him get clean and he returned the favor.

They spent the afternoon lazily around the house. Maks had turned on music and they had danced. Meryl laughing as he dipped and spun her around the room. She picked up Sir Sleep at one point, cradling him in her arms like a baby and dancing around with him. Maks pulled out his phone and took pictures of the two of them in their silly state. After about an hour of dancing around they collapsed onto the couch exhausted. Maks reached over and took Meryl's hand in his as their breathing began to return to normal.

"Mer, I love dancing with you."

"And I love dancing with you."

There conversation was interrupted by Maks' phone ringing. He begrudgingly got up off the couch and crossed the room to answer the call.

"Nicole, hey...Yeah, sure. That'd be fun...Okay, we will see you then..." Maks said and hung up the call.

"What do we have planned for us tonight?" Meryl asked, smiling up at him as he stood in front of her.

"We're going to a show and you're going to love it."

And they went and she did. It was a little odd at first, going into the room with everyone in masks but as soon as it started she was awe-struck. After the show finished Nicole and Teddy left to go home but Meryl and Maks went to a small Italian restaurant in Little Italy for dinner. After the meal they found themselves in the middle of the empty and irresistibly romantic street swaying to the quiet tune of an accordion playing in the distance.

"It's like we're in a movie, Maks," she smiled as she spoke but her voice quivered with the impending doom that was rising up their spines as the night wore on and the notion of tomorrow grew ever more present.

"I'm hoping for a happy ending then." Maks pulled her impossibly closer as they continued to sway.

"Maybe not soon but eventually right? I have hope."

"There's always hope." They swayed for a few more minutes before he took her hand in hers and let them back to his car and down the quiet roads to his house.


	6. The Most Precious Thing

He grabbed her hand and trailed her behind him inside. He kicked the door shut and kept pulling her behind him, through the foyer, up the stairs, down the hall, third door on the left. When they got to the door frame Maks body came to a halt again from the force of her coming to a sudden stop. He  
turned to see her standing still with her face hidden by her hair curtaining around her down turned face. Her back expanded with a large exhale and shook with two quiet sobs. She said she wouldn't cry again. She said she couldn't.

“I have a plane to catch,” was all she got out before the sobs took over her body once again. 

It was one of those instances in life where he saw the most precious thing, the one object that his whole being needed like a lifeline and he didn't know whether to let it go or hold onto it for dear life. Maks wrapped his arms around her and rested his head on her shoulder as he had during many press lines. He began to softly hum their song, the song that changed everything into her ear. They rocked back and forth while he hummed through each verse and refrain. When it came to the last line his hum was broken by his horse voice, “I’m latching on to you.”

He pressed kisses from her ear, to her neck, to her collar bone before she turned in his embrace and brought their lips together. She rested her forehead on his and brought her eyes up to meet his. She circled her nose around his as she whispered, “I’m latching on to you too.”

“Good because I think I have fallen in love with you.” He didn’t look at her like he was expecting a response but Maks couldn’t take not telling her anymore. She was his everything. Dance wasn’t dance without her. The sun didn’t shine when they were apart. His heart was incomplete if her hand was not in his.   
She took his hand then and walked slowly, leading him into his bedroom. She let go of his hand when she was at the end of his bed and turned to him. She ran her hands down his chest until she reached the bottom hem of his shirt. She slipped her hands under the material and around to his back, gently massaging. She pulled her hands back out of his shirt and found the bottom button. She slid each button through its hole until she reached the top. Her hands slid under the collar and back onto his smooth chest. The fabric fell off his shoulders as her ministrations continued. It fell further off his arms and finally to the floor.

Maks weaved his hands behind her back, pulling her closer to him as he needed the tense muscles of her back. He worked up and down her spine with his hands until her eyes were soundly closed and her breathing almost even as it blew on his neck. She drew in a gasp as his fingers found the zipper on the back of her dress. He slowly pulled it down releasing each tooth of the zipper from the other. Her straps fell off her shoulders as he reached the bottom of the zipper. He took a step back to bring his hands to her hips bones and ran them up her sides and gently ghosting the underside of her breasts. 

That night they went slowly and took in every inch of skin. Hands traced patterns on naked skin. Lips lit trails of fire as they charted the new found territories of love. Each breath, gasp and moan was a lifeline as the made love well into the night. It was the first time either of them had truly felt and understood what it meant to ‘make love’ rather than just have sex. It was the first time they realized their love was something bigger than anything else out in the world. It was the first time they had let go of all that was against them being together and let their bodies act on what they really felt. 

They lay together watching the moon through the window a few short hours later after drifting into blissful sleep. 

“I have a plane to catch,” Meryl repeated the words she had said to him last night. She didn’t want to leave his arms but the glow of the alarm clock told her of the inevitable upon them. He placed a kiss to her bare shoulder as she sat up on the bed to face out at the early morning sky, the moon and sun sharing the sky still. She bent down to pick up his shirt from the ground. He watched as she wrapped it around her shoulders and buttoned a few of the buttons on the front. 

“Let me make you breakfast before you go.”

“Okay,” she nodded as she walked to the bathroom and Maks pulled on his boxers and went down to the kitchen. After Meryl finished washing her face and brushing her teeth she found her suitcase lying open next to the bed and pulled on a pair of panties and plain black leggings and a tank top. She then went into Maks’ closet in search of something to wear on the plane home. She removed his button-up, tossing it in the laundry hamper. She then pulled a navy blue Henley off one of the shelves and put it on over her tank. 

Meryl packed up her suitcase and put on her ballet flats. She stood her suitcase up and began rolling it behind her as she made her way down to the kitchen. She could smell pancakes and coffee as she started down the stairs. She wheeled her suitcase to stand next to the door and placed her purse on top before making her way to the kitchen and sitting on one of the bar stools.

“I don’t want to leave.”

“I know, baby.” Maks reached across the counter to caress her cheek with one hand as he set a mug of coffee down in front of her. He turned to grab two plates and placed them on the counter. He took forks out of a drawer and came to sit beside her. As they ate they smiled and laughed at funny memories being recounted of their hectic past 4 months together. If only it was always as simple as this Maks thought.

As another fit of laughter died down and the last bits of food were eaten Meryl turned on her chair to face Maks completely. He turned to face her too. She brought one hand up to cup his cheek and softly caress the smooth skin under his eye. She looked to the floor shyly before looking back up at him through her eye lashes.

“Maks, I think I have fallen in love with you too.” A silent tear spilled out of her eye. Maks’ thumb came to her face to wipe away the tear. He pulled her into his lapped silently. She cuddled into his chest and latched onto him.

He stood carrying her across the house, up the stairs, and down the hall. He put her feet back on the ground when they came to the threshold of his bedroom. They stood there holding hands, both just looking into the others eyes as tears stained their cheeks. 

“I have a plane to catch,” she whispered and Maks let go of her hand and walked through the bedroom door. And she was left there, in the hall of Maks’ New Jersey home sobbing.

She listened to his feet walk across the room. Five strides, that's all it took to reach the edge of the bed. She knew and she counted as he walked ...one...two...three...four...five then the sound of the mattress dipping in with his weight. She told herself count to 10, take deep breaths, then walk away, you have to walk away.

So she counted.  
One: his feet slipped out of his slippers.  
Two: the covers were tossed aside.  
Three: his body shifted to lay on the bed, chest facing the ceiling.  
Four: he turned to his left first, he always did.  
Five: he rolled onto his stomach and buried his hands under his pillow.  
Six: he tucked his left leg up under him and turned again to face her side of the bed.  
Seven: he grabbed her pillow and cradled it in his arms.  
Eight: he pulled the pillow as close to his face as humanly possible to breathe in her scent.  
Nine: a tear streamed down his face, then two, then three, then full sobs.  
Ten: she was fleeing down the stairs and out the front door

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note to self: If you're a Castle fan, don't listen to In My Veins while reading this or right after reading it...It's too emotional.
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed this story again if you didn't read it already when I posted it over the summer. I also hope it didn't break your heart as much as it broke mine writing it. Thanks for reading (:


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